Ligand Pharmaceuticals Acquires Royalty Rights to Santen's Ryjunea Eye Drug

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc. (LGND) announced on September 22, 2026, that it has acquired royalty and milestone payment rights tied to Santen Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd's Ryjunea, the first approved pharmacologic treatment in Europe and the UK to slow myopia progression in children. The acquisition adds a commercial-stage royalty asset to Ligand's portfolio, though financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ryjunea holds the distinction of being the first pharmacologic therapy approved in European and UK markets for slowing myopia progression in pediatric patients, giving Ligand exposure to a novel ophthalmic drug category with an established regulatory foothold.